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THE PTTTSBURG- DISPATCH, BUNDAT, . NOVEMBER L . 189L
10 -
sax icon until he paw an announcement In
the newspapers that Kansas had elected
delegates and instructed them for Seward.
This was Lincoln's first disappointment in
his effort to organize his friends to attain
the Presidental nomination, but his philos
ophy was well maintained.
Equal to the Emcrcency.
Without waiting to hear from his friend
who had contracted to bring a Lincoln dele
ration from Kansas, he wrote him, saying:
"I see by the dispatches that since yon
wrote Kanbas has appointed delegates in
structed for Seward. Don't stir them up
to anger, but come along to the convention,
and I will do as I said about expenses." It
is not likely that that unfortunate experi
ence cost Lincoln his $100. but it is worthy
of note that soon after his inauguration as
President he gave the man a Federal office
with a comfortable salary.
When he became seriously enlisted as a
candidate for the Presidental nomination,
he soon learned that while he could be of
great value as an adviser and organizer, the
great work had to be performed by others
than himself. He gathered around him a
number of the ablest politicians of the West,
tmong whoa were Norman P. Judd, David
Davis Leonard Swctt, O. M. Hatch, and
Mr. Medill, of the Chicago Tribune. These
In en had, for the first time, brought a
National convention to the West, and they
had the advantage of fighting for Lincoln
on their owu ground with the enthusiasm
his name inspired as a potent factor in
their work. They went there to win
and they left nothing undone with
in the range of political effort to give
him the nomination. Two positions in the
Cabinet, one for Pennsylvania and one for
Indiana, were positively promised by David
Davis at an early period of the contest,
when they feared that there might be seri
ous difficulty in uniting the delegations of
these States on Lincoln. It is proper to
ray tnat Lincoln had no knowledge of these
contracts, and had given no such authority,
and it is p;oper, also, to say that the con
tracts were made in both cases with compar
atively irresponsible parties who had little
power if any, in guiding the action of their
respective delegations.
The Promise of Cabinet Positions.
Certainlv Lane and Curtin, who were the
most important factors in bringing their
States to the support of Lincoln, were not
only not parties to these contracts, but
were entirely ignorant of them until their
fulfillment was demanded after Lincoln's
election. I have good reasons to know that
in the cae of Pennsylvania, that contract,
vhile it did not of itself make General Cam
eron Secretary of War, had much to do with
resolving Lincoln's doubts in favor of Cam
eron's appointment in the end.
There were no political movements of na
tional importance durine Lincoln's adminis
tration in which he did not actively, al
though often hiddenly, participate. It was
Lincoln who finally, after the most convul
sive efforts to get Missouri into line with
the administration, effected a reconciliation
of disputing parties which brought Brown
end Henderson into the Senate, and it was
Lincoln who in 1SG3 took a leading part
in attaining the declination of Curtin as a
Gubernatorial candidate that year. Grave
apprehensions were felt because of the
70,000 Pennsylvania troops in the field who
had not then the constitutional right to
A ote m their camps, and also because of the
bitter factional feud between the Curtin
und Cameron w ings of the party, that Cur
tin could not be re-elected. Indeed, Cur
tin himself and his close political friends
looked :pon the contest as almost utterly
hopeless. Lincoln had no prejudices
arainat Curtin, on the contrary, he pro
foundly appreciated his patriotic efforts to
aid him in the prosecution of the war, but
lie Feared Cnrtln's Defeat,
nnd Stanton, who was never friendly to
Curtin, was aggressive in his efforts to pre
vent his renomination. Curtin's health
was broken, and it was believed by his own
household that the strain of a great contest
mch as he would be compelled to accept if
nommatea, wouia be more tnan ne could
turvive. His devoted and estimable wife,
who shed luster upon every public honor he
cttained, appealed to me with tears in her
eyes to take absolute measures to retire him
from the field, and the Governor heartily as
sented if he could be permitted to retire in
any way honorable to himself.
Of Curtin's renomination there was no
doubt whatever if he permitted his name
to be used, and it became merely a question
how he could retire eracefully. Entrusted
with this mission, acting entirely upon my
own judgment, I went to Washington,
called upon Colonel Forney and told him
my mission. I said: "Senator Cameron
will desire the retirement of Curtin because
he is his enemy; I desire it because I am his
friend: may we not co-operate in bringing it
aaoat?" Cameron was sent for, the matter
was presented to him, and he at once s id,
with some asperity, that "Curtin should be
got rid of " I suggested if Lincoln would
tender to Curtin a foreign mission, in view
of his broken health, it would solve the
difficulty and enable Curtin to retire. To
this Cameron agr.ed, and within half an
hour thereafter we startled Lincoln by ap
pearing before him together, accompanied
by Forney.
"It was the first tims Cameron and I had
r.ppcared belore Lincoln to unite in asking
him to perform and public act.
Lincoln 1Vas Very Willing.
I stated the case briefly but frankly, and
he promptly responded that Curtin was en
titled to the honor suggested, and that it
would be a great pleasure to him to tender
Aim tne place, but, said ne, "X m in the
position of yoang Sheridan, when old Sher
idan called him to task for his rakis'i con
duct, and said to him that he must take a
vife; to which young Sheridan replied:
Very well, father, but whoe wife snail I
tike"?' It is all very well," he added, "to
ay that I will give Curtin a mission, nut
whose mission am I to take? I would not
offer him anything but a first-class one."
To this Cameron replied that a second
class mission would answer the purpose, but
3fcrney and I resented that and said that if
a second-clas mission was to be discussed
we had nothing lurther to Bay. Lincoln
deed the conference bv suggesting that as
it beemed to be my affair, I should call to
see hiin in the morning. I did so, when he
handed me an autograph letter to Curtin,
tendering him a first-class mission, to be ac
cepted at his pleasure, in view of the patri
otic service he had rendered and the shat
tered condition of his health. This letter I
delivered to Curtin. The announcement
was at once made to the Associated Press
that a foreign mission had been tendered to
Curtin; that he had signified his acceptance
of it, and that he would not be a candidate
lor renominiition for Governor.
Tlio IVcopIe Called for Curtin.
Cnrtin's declination was responded to
within a week by a number of the leading
counties of the fatate peremptorily instruct
ing their delegates to vote for his renomina
tion for Governor. It soon became evident
that the party would accept no other leader
In the desperate conflict and that no other
candidate could hope to be elected. Curtin
was compelled to submit, and he was nomi
nated on the first ballot by more than a two
thirds vote, although bitterly opposed by a
number of prominent Federal officers "in
the State. Lincoln was disappointed in the
result; not because he was averse to Cur
tin, but because be feared that party divis
iors would lose the State. Both Lincoln
and Stanton made exhaustive efforts to sup
port Curtin after he had been nominated,
and all the power of the Government that
could be wielded with effect was employed
to promote his election. The battle was a
desperate one against the late Chief Justice
Woodward, who as s(iant in intellectual
strcncth.and who commanded the unbounded
confidence and enthusiastic support of his
party, but'Curtin was elected by OTer 15,000
wajoritv.
One o't the shrewdest of Lincoln's great
political schemes was the tender, by an au
tograph letter, of the French mission to the
elder James Gordon Bennett 2fo one who
can form any intelligent judgment of the
political exigencies of that time can fail to
understand why the venerable independent
journalist received this mark of favor from
the President. Lincoln had but one of the
leading journals of 2ew York on which he
could rely for positive support. That was
Mr. Baymond'a Xew York Times. Mr.
Greeley's Tribune was the most widely read
liciiublican journal of the country, and it
was unquestionably the most potent in
molding Republican sentiment, but Greeley
was not in accord with Lincoln. The latter
knew how important it was to have the sup
port of the Herald, and he carefully studied
how to bring its editor into close touch
with himself.
Brousbt Bennett to Terms.
The outlook for Lincoln's re-election was
not promising. Bennett had strongly advo
cated the nomination of General McClellan
by the Democrats, and that was ominous of
hostility to Lincoln; and when McClellan
was nominated he was accepted on all sides
as a most formidable candidate. It was in
this emergency that Lincoln's "political
sagacity servedhim sufficiently to win the
Herald to his cause, and it was done by the
confidential tender of the French mission.
Bennett did not break over to Lincoln at
once, but he went by gradual approaches.
His first step was to declare in favor of an
entirelv new candidate, which wa an'utter
impossibility. He opened a leader on the
subject thus: "Lincoln has proved a fail
ure; McClellan has proved a failure; Fre
mont has proved a failure; let us have a new
candidate."
Lincoln, McClellan and Fremont were
then all in the field as nominated candi
dates, and the Fremont defection was a
serious threat to Lincoln. Ut course,
neither Lincoln nor McClellan declined,
and the Herald failing to get the new man it
knew to be an impossibility, squarely ad
vocated Lincoln's re-electi"on Without
consulting anyone, and without any
publio announcement whatever, Lincoln
wrote to Bennett, asking him to accept the
mission to France. The offer was declined.
Bennett valued the offer very much more
than the office, and from that day until the
day of his death he was one of Lincoln's
most appreciative friends and hearty sup
porters on his own independent line.
No Boom for Doabt.
The tender of the French mission to Ben
nett has been disputed, but I am not mis
taken about it. W. O. Bartlett, a promi
nent member of the New York bar, and
lather of the present Judge Bartlett, of the
Supreme Court of that State, had personal
knowledge of Lincoln's autograph letter
that was delivered to Bennett, and Judge
Bartlett yet has the original letter of Lin
coln to Bennett, unless he has parted with
it within the last few years. Bennett was
not only one of the ablest and one of the
most sagaciouj editors of his day, but he
was also one of the most independent, and
in controversy one of the most defiant. He
was in a position to render greater service
to Lincoln and to the country in its desper
ate Civil War than any other one man in
American journalism. He did not pretend
to be a Republican; on the contrary he was
Democratic in all his personal sympathies
anu convictions, out ne gave a :auuiui sup
port to the war, although often freely criti
cisincr the policy of the administration.
He had no desire for public office, but he
did desire, after he had acquired wealth and
newspaper power, just the recognition that
Lincoln gave him, and I doubt whether any
one thing during Bennett's life ever gave
him more sincere gratification than this
voluntarv offer of one of the first-class mis
sions of the country, made in Mr. Lincoln's
own handwriting, and his opportunity to
decline the same. Looking as Lincoln did
to the great battle for his re-election, this
was one of the countless sagacious acts by
vi hich he strengthened himself from day to
day, and it did much, very much, to pave
the way for his overwhelming majority
0USS4.
Sent Soldiers Home to Tote.
That Lincoln understood practical poli
tics after he had been nominated for a sec
ond term, is very clearly illustrated in the
letter he wrote to General Sherman on the
19th of September, 1864. The States of
Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania then voted
in October for State offices, and Indiana was
desperate? contested. Ohio was regarded
as certain, and Pennsylvania had only Con
gressmen and local officers to elect. The
soldiers oi Indiana could not vote in the
field, and Lincoln's letter to Sherman, who
commanded the major portion of the Indi
ana, troops, appeals to him, in Lincoln's
usual cautious manner, to furlough as many
of his soldiers home for the October election
as he could safely spare. His exact lan
guage is: "Anything you can safely do to
let your soldiers, or any part of them, go
home to vote at the State election will be
greatly in point,"
To this he adds: "This is in no senso an
order; it is simply intende 1 to impress you
with the importance to the army itself, of
your doing all vou safely can, yourself be
ing the judge of what you can safely do."
"While this was "in no sense an order"
it was practirally a command that Sherman
promptly and generously obeyed, and the
result was that Morton was elected Gov
ernor by borne 22.000 majority. It was at
Lincoln's special request that General
Logan left his command and missed the
march to the sea, to stump Indiana and Illi
nois in the contest of 'G4. He was one ot
the ablest and most impressive of all the
campaigners of the West, and it was re
garded by Lincoln as more important that
Logan should bo on the hustings than in
command of his corps.
Sending Troops to the Front.
I recall a pointed illustration of Lincoln's
rare sagacity when confronted with embar
rassing political complications that occurred
in 1862, when I was in charge of the mili
tary department of Pennsylvania pertain
ing to the draft of troops made under the
State law. Harrisburg was an important
center of military supplies, as well as the
political center of the State. Immense army
contracts were men awaraea ana executed
under officers assigned to duty at that place.
After the draft had been made, the con
scripts Degan to pour into tne capital by
thousands, and as the demands for reinforce
ments in the field was very pressing, I
called upon the military officer of the city
and urged upon him the necessity of mus
tering the new men as promptly as possible.
To my surprise he mustered only two com
panies the first day out of 1,000 men. On
the seceon day, notwithstanding my earnest
appeal to him, he mustered no more than
two- companies, and on the third day, when
I had over fi,000 men in camp, a mere mob
without organization or dicipline, the same
tedious process of mustering was continued.
I telegraphed Secretary Stanton that I had
many men in camp, and that they were ar
riving in large numbers.but that I could not
have them mustered; that I could forward
a regiment of troops every day if the Gov
ernment would furnish the officers to muster
and organize them. A prompt answer came
that it would be done. The following m rn
ing a new officer appeared of course subor
dinate to the commandant of the place who
had charge f the mustering, 'and he
promptly musterad an entire regiment the
first day. On the following moraine he was
relieved from duty and -ordered elsewhere,
and the mustering again fell back to two
companies a day.
Tbere tVas Money In It.
In the meantime over 7,000 men had been
gathered into the camp and it was evident
that the question of supplying the camp and
the interests of contractors had become para
mount to the reinforcement of the army. I
telegraphed Lincoln that I would see him in
Washington that night, and hurried .on to
correct the evil by personal conference with
him. The case was a very simple one, and
ne reaauy tooK in tne situation. He knew
that 1 had labored day and night for two
months without compensation or the expec
tation of it, to hasten the Pennsylvania
troops to the aid of our soldiers in th'e field,,
and I said to him that if he would send
mustering officers to organize them promptly,
I would return and finish the work; if not,
I would abandon it and go home.
Lincoln was greatly pained at the devel
opment, but he understood that a change of
military officers at Harrisburg, such as this
occasion seemed to demand, would involve
serious political complications. He was of
all things most desirous to strengthen our
shattered armies, and it was evident very
soon that he meant to do so in some way,
but without offense to the political power
that controlled the military assignments at
Harrisburg. Without intimating his solu
tion of the problem, he rang his bell and in
structed his messenger to bring Adjutant
General Thomas to the Executive Chamber.
Soon, after the Adjutant General appeared
and Lincoln soid: "General,.what is the mili
tary rank of the senior officer at Harris
burg?" To which the Adjutant General re
plied: "Captain, sir," and naming the
officer.
Promptly Made an Offer. .
Lincoln promptly said in reply: "Brint:
me a commission immediately for Alexander
K. McClure as Assistant Adjutant General
of the United States Volunteers, with the
rank of Major." The Adjutant General
bowed himself out, when I immediately
said to Lincoln that I could not consent to
be subject to arbitrary military orders; that
I desired no compensation for the work I
had performed and I'must decline the honor
he proposed to confer upon me. In his
quiet way he replied: "Well. McClure,
trymyvway; I think that will get the
troops on without delay and without tread
ing on anybody's toes. I think if you will
take your commission back to Harrisburg,
call up the Captain in command there to
muster you into the service of the United
States and show him your assignment to
duty there, you will have no trouble what
ever in getting the troops organized and
forwarded as rapidly as you wish. Now
try it, won't you?"
I saw the wisdom of the suggestion and
well understood why the President desired
to avoid the offense that would have been
given bv the removal of the military offi
cers, and I agreed to try his plan. When I
returned to Harrisburg the next day I sent
for the senior officer to come to my office.
He came in with all the dignity and arro
gance of an offended Csesar and spoke to me
with bare civility. I quietly handed him
my commission, requested him to musterme
into the military service and also exhibited
the order assigning me for duty at Harris
burg. The Tables Were Tnrned.
When he saw my commission, his hat was
immediately removed and he was as obse
quious as he had been insolent before.
When he had finished mustering me into
the service I said to him: "I presume you
understand what this means. I don't pro
pose to make any display of military au
thority or to interfere with anything except
that which I have immediately in hand.
There must be a regiment of'troops mus
tered and forwarded from this State every
day until the tioops in camp are all sent to
the field. Good morning. He immedi
ately bowed himself out, saluting in mili
tary style as he did so, a grace that I had
not yet myistered sufficiently to return", and
from that day until the camp was emptied
of conscripts, a regiment of troops was mus
tered daily and forwarded to Washington.
That was the only military authority I
ever exercised, and lew knew of the mili
tary dignity I had so suddenly attained.
When the troops were forwaded to the
field and the- accounts settled, I resigned
my commission as quietly as I received it
and sent it to the President, who, as he had
voluntarily promised, ordered its immediate
acceptance. The officer who was thus so
unexpectedly superseded, and who.wae so
promptly made to render efficient service to
the country by Lincoln's admirable strat
egy, is no longer among the living, and I
omit hu name. He learned how Lincoln
could discipline a soldier and he profited by
the lesson. A. K. McCiajbe.
SOCIETY AT GENEVA
FAVORITE RESOKT FOB WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA TOURISTS.
THE MUSIC WORLD.
first Popular Becital at the Fourth
Avenue Baptist Church. ,
THE MiraiE HAUKOPERACOMPAKY
Somethlntr of Mascagni's New Work Pro
duced at Borne Lost Night.
A BUDGET OP GENEBAL NEWS 'ITEMS
eonzogno, ine entirely comn
tral score or his new opera. "Friend Fritz."
This new work of the now famou author of
"Cavalleria Ensticana" was finished by
him fn the short time of a rew months, and
without his having ceased in the meantime
to wort on his other score, "Thenantzaus,"
which as a composition is also almost com
pleted. While Mascagni In the "Cavalleria"
runs through nearly the whole gamut
ol strong dramatic accents and situation-,
"Friend Fritz" seems like an idyll,
replete with love and tender emotions, and
in wuicn cno composer seeks to toucu our
manent success of the bpera was largely
established by her, were rather strongly
stated in that review-. So the fact that it
was Galli-Marie who (owin? to the deten
tion In England of Marie Boze, for whom
Bizet first wrote the part,) sang Carmen at
the one very first performance, makes very
little difference.
However, since the phrase "his (or her)
oilglnal character" was nnderlined several
times during the week, It Is proper to inti
mate that the statement should be qualified
when It is not intended to have Its natural
meaning as designating the artist that ere-
hearts throiisiu the, very simplicity of his I ated the role on the first production of the
Boland J. flemmick as Consul How Bli
Appointment Was Heralded Under the
Wrong Name Soma Important Social
Events of Recent Date.
rCOEBESrOXDESCK OP Till DISPATCH.1
Geneva, Oct 21. Geneva has seldom
had a better summer, as far as visitors are
concerned. They have come in their thou
sands, and have, unfortunately, departed,
wit't a er few.exceptions. The hotel pro
prietors are jubilant over the profits of the
past season, but the shopkeepers tell a very
different talc The fin-de-siecle tourist is
exceedingly wily, and the far-famed Geneva
musical box has lost its attractions, even
when disguised in the shape of a chair
which, on being occupied, proceeds to give
forth melodious sounds. The little carved
chamois is a drug in the market, and the
only article which continues to hold its
place in the "tripping" American's estima
tion is the Geneva watch, which is undoubt
edly worthy of its reputation.
Among ths multitude of our comnatriots
who have made mora or less prolonged
sojourns here are quite a number of Western
Pennsylvanians, and the presence of a great
part of them is doubtless due to the fact that
the position oi united states Consul m
Geneva is held by a well-known citizen of
Pittsburg, Mr. Roland J. Hemmick. A
short time after Mr. Harrison's inaugura
tion a cablegram appeared in the local paper,
LeJournalde Geneve, stating briefly that Mr.
Phillip Hummic (sic) had been appointed
Consul in Geneva. The curiosity of the
Anglo-American colony was naturally much
aroused as to who and what this Phillip
Hummic might be.
HIS IXTEODITCTION TO OFFICE.
Mr. L. T. Adams, who was at that time
Consul, had as yet received no official inti
mation ot his removal, and the colony was,
for the moment, obliged to curb its desire
for knowledge. About ten days later a
gentleman walked leisurely into the Con
sulate, and, handing his card to Mr. Adams,
casually inquired it there was any mail for
him. Mr. Adams glanced at the name
Boland J. Hemmick and immediately di
vined, with his experience of the accuracy
with which foreign papers print English
and American names, that the mysterious
Phillip Hummic stood before him. Expla
nations were then entered into, and Mr.
Hemmick for the first time learned of his
appointment. He had made his applica
tion for the post shortly before sailing for
Europe, and was appointed before landing.
Jlr. and -Mrs. Hemmick, who was Miss
Lucy Smith, of Pittsburg, at once started
on a house-hunting expedition, which re
sulted in their renting one of the-finest
chateause on Lake Liman. This place is
the property of M. Verne d'Arlandes, who
was badly hurt in the crash of the Copper
syndicate in Paris, in 1888. Here the new
Consul and his wife began their social cam
paign, which has been so successful.
IMPORTANT SOCIAL AITAIRS.
Their first large entertainment was a danc
ing dinner given in honor of Mrs. Hemmiek's
newly married brother, Mr. L. Smith, and
his bride, who was Miss Shannon, of Pitts
burg, the daughter of the late Chief Justice
of Dakota. In January Mr. Hemmick
moved in town and took up his residence al.
the Hotel Beau-Rivage, where together
with Mrs. K. W. Smith, Mrs. Hemmiek's
mother, he gave a "pink" ball which cre
ated quite a sensation. Among others pres
ent was Mr. John D. Washburne, United
States Minister to Switzerland, who came
down to Berne for the occasion.
The following summer Mr. Hemmick
rented Chatean Eccogia, about an hour's
drive from Geneva, for a term of years, and
since then has kept open house there, spend
ing, however, four winter months in town
at the Hotel Beau-Rivage. There are cer
tainly few consuls in Europe who have made
themselves so popular as Mr. Hemmick; and
he and Mrs. Hemmick have made many
friends, not only in the Anglo-American
colony, but also among the Genevese, who
as a rule do not take kindly to strangers.
OTHER riXTSBUEGERS IN ITALY.
Colonel and Mrs. T. M. Bayne, Mrs. Hem
miek's sister, and brother-in-law are here,
and the cx-TJnited States Congressman de
clares that he thoroughly enjoys the rest
and change from political life. Later on
Colonel and Mrs. Bayne, together with Mrs.
Smith, intend going "down to Rome to spend
the winter. Mr. Charles S. Graham, who
has spent the last four years in extensive
traveling, has just left tor Pittsburg, after
stopping a few days witk Mr. and Mrs.
Hemmick. Another guest, who is also at
Eccogia, is Miss Swearengen, of Pittsburg,
who intends passing the winter here.
Among other people well known in Pitts
burg who have visited Geneva during the
past season are Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Car
negie, 'Mr. Max Moorhead, Mr. W. H.
Singer, of Carnegie, Phipps & Co.; Mrs.
Hayes, Major Clinch Philips and family,
Mr. Denny, Captain and Mrs." H. H. King,
Mr. W. R. Holmes, ofT. H. Holmes & Son;
Mrs.John B. McCune, widow of the. late
President of the Union National Bank; Dr.
Cyrus B. King, Mr. S. Hamilton, Miss C.
Schmertz, Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Waring, Mr.
W. S. Kulin and Mr. and Mrs. G. Hutchin
son. Genf.
The audience room of the Fourth Avenue
Baptist Church, one of the largest in the
city, was thronged last Tuesday evening by
an intelligent and appreciative audience,
assembled for the organ recital by Mr. J. C.
Batchelder, of Detroit, assisted by Mr.
Homer Moore. The programme was as fol
lows: L (a) Fusne in G Minor .Bach
(b) Offertoiroin D Fat Salome
(c) Impromptu Pastorale Buck
2. Song "There Is a Green Hill Far
Away." Gounod
Mr. iioore.
S. Sonata In D Major, ( No. S).... Mendelssohn
(a) Andante. (b) Andante con Moto,
(c) Allegro Maestoso.
i (a) Mediation t..
(b) Marche Solenellej Lemalgre
fi. "The King's Prayer"(Lohengrln)Wagner
Mr. Moore.
6. (a) Andante rom Fifth Symphony
Beethoven
(b) Elsa's Brautgangzum Muenster
Wasner
7. March in E flat Salome
Excepting the Lemaigre march, a cheap
and commonplace piece, the abore pro
gramme is a fine sample of a well-ordered
set of good, legitimate organ selections es
pecially calculated to please a general audi
ence. To call it "severely classical," as
one cotemporary did in advance, is laugha
ble. Mr. Batchelder years ago showed
Pittsburg bis maateryof the great classical
works and technical "battle horses" of the
organ. This time he wisely chose a pro
gramme to suit the occasion, being the first
of a series of free popular recitals arranged
for by the church named.
The Bach fugue was one of the shorter
ones from a set, not the great minor G
fugue; as registrated by Mr. Batchelder (be
ginning with Swell mf, Introducing second
subject on t'.ie Great diapasons and grad
ually building un to full organ) It was made
more intelligible and effective, especially to
the unskilled listener, than if played ac
cording to the strict traditions of the Haupt
school, with full organ from start to finish.
The piece de resistance was the Mendels
sohn sonata, beginning with that noble.
plain chorale, followed by the finely
trusting unaante con moto, witn
melody ana gracetui peuai
musical modes or expression. In tne or
chestration, however, the work Is entirely
modern (In the sense of the Wagner follow
ers), and withal it contains a perfect flood
of melodic material of the loveliest kind.
The opera, which, according to the ex
pressed desire of the composer, is to be
brongbt out first at Borne, consists of
three acts, a prelude and an.
other "l"-termezzo sinfonlco" be
tween the second and third acts. It demands
a personnel of seven, four of whom raust be
of the first rank (soprano, mezzo soprano,
tenor and baritone), while three are minor
parts. Tho first three performances at the
Costanzi Theater In Rome, which will prob-
aoiv uikb place by the end of tms month.
win ne conducted by the composer in pei
son. The part of "Susel" will be sung b:
)y the composer in per
Snsel" will be sung bv
Miss La Calve, while the tenor De Lucia will
take the part of "Fritz," and the baritone
Lherie that of "Eabbi Davtd."
In an exceedingly courteous note received
by the present writer from Mrs. Minnie
Hank last Tuesday, the gifted artiste,
apropos of The Dispatch's review that morn
ing, nays:
"As you seem In doubt as to who created
the part of Carmen in America, I be; to state
that It was I during the season of '79-'SO,
under Colonel Mnpleson. We brought It
over to America for the first time, singing it
in all cities, Signor Campanini, Del Puente
and myself belnir tbe original ones to do the
opera on the Italian stage anywhere, either
in Europe or America."
This information is willingly added to that
printed Tuesday, whloh, however, it does
not all contradict. Mrs. Hauk's peoullar re
lation to this role and the faot that tbe per-
opera. The onlyieal valno of the pnrase
lies in tne proDaoiuty almost aiays mo
fact that the opera whs first produced un
der the composer's personal supervision,
and that the artists thus received his own
ideas nt first hand. Otherwise the so-called
"creation" of a character implies nothing
an'horltative or standard-giving, and to
speak of it as one's "original character" sim
ply points out tbe one who happened to get
first into that particular field.
Crotchets and Quaver.
A Fbzsch composer, Anguste Germain, la
writing a Wagnerian burlesque entitled
"Le Petit Lohengrin." This Is adding In
sult to injury!
Air interesting overture, composed by
Cherubinlln ISIS for the London Philhar
monic Society, ba been, recently unearthed
and will soon be published.
It turns out that tbe rumor of Mrs.
Trebelli's being disabled by paralysis was
Incorrect. She has returned to London, It
now appears, in perfect health.
AirroHio Golassi, the eminent baritone,
who was to have joined the Minnie Hauk
Company, but did not, sang at the Thomas
Symphony concerts in Chicago tbe other
day and will be heard In concert frequently,
this season.
EuonrzD'ALBZBTis coming oyer again in
the spring. With this addition to the others
on tho list Paderewskl, Pachmann, Rum
mel. Gruenfeld, Joseffy, et al. America will
suffer from planistio plethora.
Thb Bostontans will return to the Dn-
quesne Theater next week with DeKoven's I
"Robin Hood," the clever operetta a la Gil-1
bert A Sullivan whloh Pittsburg admired so
much Iasf year, and which has just had a
most successful run In New York.
"Cavaiixeia Busticajta" will be heard In
Berlin at the Royal Opera House, on nmm.
ber 13, the anniversary of Beethoven's birth.
The dead master's ballet, "Die Geschoeofe
des Prometheus," a work little known to the
musical world, will be performed the same
evening.
asd still they come! Mr. Martin RnM.r
late director of theBoyal Academy of Mnsic,
Dublin, and for seven years choral conduc
tor and teacher In Milan, will Join tho fac
ulty of the New England Conservatory of
Music at the opening of the spring term.
February 4, 1892. '
The brothers, Alfred Gruenfeld, pianist,
andHeinrlch Gruenfeld, violoncellist, made
a very successful debnt In New York, Octo
ber 23. The pianist, in particular, was wel
comed as a player of high rank; with some
limitations, of course, but a strong and In
tel esting individuality.
THBsnicide of Marie Wilt, while insane,
has sadly terminated an extraordinarily
brilliant career. Mrs. Wilt was for 25 years
one of tbe foremost members of the Vienna
Opera. -. Her voice and versatility were such
that she sang with facility high soprano or
contralto roles, whether dramatic orlyrio in
style.
Me. Daw Dabb Ezichtoxs Is the composer
of an effective and well written processional
hymn, "Let the Banner of the Cross,"just
published In Sehlrmer's octavo series. Mr.
Ezechielsand bis well-trained boycholr.br
the way, officiated effectively at Grace
Church, Mt. Washington, lasr Thursday
evening, in a choral wedding, quite a rarity
In Pittsburg. t
Thi resignation of Organist and Choir
master W. V. Dermitt from the post at St.
Peter's P. E. Church, which he has so long,
so faithfully and so successfully filled, has
been most reluctantly accepted by the
church authorities. Mr. Dennltt's health
and strength has been too sorely taxed for
him to continue tbe work. His successor is
not yet announced.
aupras's opera,"La Cfgale," was produced
for the first time in America last Monday
night at the Garden Theater.and proved to
be a bright bit of French music, but spoiled
by the English libretto and tbe mnslo Inter
polated into the score by Ivan Caryll. The
cast included Lillian Russell, Attalie Claire,
Carl Streltmann. Tozliapletra and Louis
Harrison.-JfitrtozZ Courier.
The new Auditorium on Penn avenue It
progressing apace and will be sufficiently
ready for the ciirysantnemum show to be
held there before the formal opening. That
Interesting occasion will be upon tbe ap
pearance of the Austrian Juvenile Band,No
vember21 and 25. It is hoped to arrange a
half-holiday at tbe schools so that the young
people may go to the matinee and hear the
playing of the other youngsters, of whose
musical meriu the prospectus and press no
tices speak so highlv. Manager George C.
Jenks has concluded a contract with Gil
more and his big folks' band to follow the
Juveniles December 15. Gllmore's solo
singers on this tour are Miss Emilie Schnee
loch, soprano: Miss Emmn Schneeloch (a
sister), contralto: Mr. Victor Clodlo, tenor,
and Mr. Edward O'Mahony, bass.
The rest of Pittsburg's grand opera for this
season will be brought to the Opera House
on Monday, the 16th Inst, by the Emma
Juch troupe. This time it will be sung in
English by Miss Juch and Miss Minnie
Eandes, sopranos: Miss Lizzie Macnichol
and Miss Gertrude May Stein, contraltos;
Albert Gullle and Angostino Montegriffo,
tenors, with enough more principals,
chorus-singers, Instrumentalists and at
taches for Manager Locke to muster a roll
of 125 members. The conductor Is Mr. Be
vtgnanl, who has earned fame at Covent
Garden, London. The repertoire will bet
Monday, Tannhaeuser;" Tuesday, "Faust;.
Wednesday, Lohengrin:" Thursday, "Ro
meo and Juliett' Friday, "Cavalleria Rusti -cana;"
Saturday matinee, "Ii Trovatore,"
and evening, "The Bohemian Girl." That
will be a week of opera with "something for
every shoe."
RATTinros, counters and shelving:
HAUGH& KEENAa-,
su 33 and 34 Water ..Jreei
con-
Its suave
..In... vt.l. m flnnl. f ntn.lrafl Tint 11 1 n T. ft
yet most dignified withal. It was played
with affectionate care for every detail; pure
and musicianly in conception, accurate and,
at times, brilliant In execution.
Such were the characteristics of all of Mr.
Batchelder's interpretations, which cannot
be particularized this mornirg. In the light
and graceful morceaux by Salome, Buck and
Lemnlgne, as in tLo two orchestral tran
scriptions, the player displayed yet more
fully his consummate skill In registration,
the chief distinctive feature of the true or
ganist. He bad spent the whole day (rare
example to other concert organists!) In
painstaking study of that pai ticulnr organ,
adapting his registration to bring out the
best effects to be obtained from its verv con
siderable resom ces. The result was ample
justification of such unusual pains.
Probably very few In the audience de
tected nny deficiency there may have been
in Mr. Batchelder's playing on account of an
exquisitely painful felon that covered the
striking portion of his left thumb. It was
reallv heroic of him to keep his engagement
in spite of that obstacle. There nas some
Blight shortcoming in the general brilliancy
and freedom of his playing, clearly attri
butable to this cause. But in spite of that,
It must be conceded that Mr. Batchelder's
work on Tuesday evening, was, In many
particulars, tbe best organ playing that has
been heard in Pittsburg for several years,
Mr liomer Moore's singing added very
materially to tne enjoyment of the evening.
Hij is a noble baritone or exceptional
range, good quality (or qualities, rather, for
he hns unusnal command of the several
varieties of tone) and of extraordinary
volume. Each of his numbers was
distinguished for clear enunciation
and for an emotional significance
that is rare Indeed. The know
ing and the unskillful alike expressed
great delight at Mr. Moore's performance.
Should he be indnoed to locate here, Pitts
burg will have gained, at least, one of the
best singers she ever possessed. Mr. Charles
uavts carter Having consented actne very
last moment to nliy the accdmpanlments,
should not be criticised for certain defects
which a further familiarity with tho instru
ment would probably have prevented.
The Music at the Dnguesne.
Only a few general remarks can this morn
ing be added to what has been said during
the week regaiding tho opera performances
by the Minnie Hank troupe. Considering
nil the circumstances, and especially the
low pi ices of the seats, the nork of this
company is entitled- to much pra'se;
although, as a matter of justice to the com
posers, it must be borne in mind that each
opera was woi thy of a much more complete
and finished production than is
possible under these circumstances
and at those prices. If this
bo always borne in mind, so that no one Is
led to mistake tbe impertect performance
for the whole art-work as originally in
tended, there is nothing but good to be de
rived from periormances like these, which,
though faulty and Imperfect, were animated
by a truly artistic endeavor to do the best
that could be done.
A special word should be said for the
"Lohengrin" production on Friday evening
because in that was made the bravest and
in many respects a successful effort to
overcome tho greatest difficulties. There
was much that was enlnyable In It. The
chorus, though careless in easier
passages, did surprisingly with some of the
worst places, as, for Instance, the very com
plicated and exciting strains that preface
Lohengrin's arrival. Mr. Behrcns got good
service out of his small orchestra, too;
though It is a pity that he is not pro
vided with condensed parts so
as to fill in better where Instru
ments are lacking. Mrs. Hank's Elsa
was a remarkably fine impersonation,
worthy to compaio with any on the st.igo to
day. This is the more remarkable in view
of the meat contrast between this role and
tliat with which 6ho is most associated; vet
there was nohint of Carmen In her Elsa, which
displayed!! seemingly new and complete per
sonality all its owu. Mr. Montariol's Lohen
grin was a more finished and consistent
character than his Don Jose. The American
stage has not seen in lecent years many
tonors as satisfactory all around as Mr.
Montariol. Mr. Stormont's Telramund and
Miss Tremelli's Orlrud wei e dramatically ex
cellent, xne lormer sung wen except in
concerted work; the latter's sonorous con
tralto was most effective In the lower reg
ister and had not the range to touch the a's
and a flats at which so many of OrtruaVs
strongest words are pitched.
Further hearing of Mascagnl's extraordi
nary one-act opera, "Cavalleria Rnstlcana,"
does not develop any more definite explan
ation or Its universal success than was
penned Tne day evening. It Is Its distinc
tive combination of materials which were
mostly known before, but are here sur
charged with the electric force of an in
tense individuality, and nM concentrated
into the shortest possible form it is
the woric in its entirety, which alone ex
plains its success, its brevity Is certain!
its most distinctive leature, and berein
shares the tendency or the dav toward con
densation as manifested in Kipling's short
stories, for instance. In this particular
Mascagni is np to the times as no one else is,
and this, with his mastery of the technique
of composition and the tremendous vitality
that breathes through every measure, goes
to mako up the overwhelming lmpiesslon
which the fiery little work has produced in
Pittsburg, as elsewhere.
Tho leading roles as sung by Hauk, Mon
tariol and Del Puente Were altogether satis
fying and evidently did justice to the com
poser's intentions. It would be pleasant to
seo what an nrtist like Hauk could make of
tbe C&rm-like role of Lola, whose briet ap
peal ance on the stage ought to show some
reasonable cause lor all tbe trouble she'is
supposed to have stirred up. The orchestra,
of, course, was sadly deficient; Mascagni
calls for fonr harps, for instance, and other
instruments in proportion. But they did
the best they could.
Mascagnl's New Opera.
Great interest centers upon the produc
tion last nieht at the Cnstanri, Rome, of
Mascagni'a new opera, "L'Ami Fritz."
This is written too early for cable informa
tion as to the performance, but the charac
ter of the opera may be seen from the fol
lowing paragraph lately printed in the
Musical Courier, upon seemingly good
authority: .
Mascagni has Just handsel to hU publiiba
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